Moondance
by Captain Hilts
Summary: After Torn and Errol recieve invitations to the Formal for the KG officers-inspite of the fact they're nothing but recruits- they decide to attend, but surprises await at least one of them upon arrival. Feedback always appreciated!
1. Invitation

**Author's note: Hello again! Welcome to my latest fic. I hope you enjoy, dear readers. ;) This one is not as serious; there's more humor and less...I dunno, gung-ho fighting stuff. But hopefully you will like it. All characters belong to Naughty Dog (I'm just barrowing them for a time) aside from Mik, Hector and the random KG. ;D Enjoy! And if anyone can guess where the title of this fic came from, I'll be very impressed! ;) Happy reading! **

Hot yellow sunlight poured into the room, bathing everything in a bright, warm glow. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in every ray of light possible; the landscape of the city below was teeming with vehicles, flashing lights, and citizens travelling on their daily paths around the bustling metropolis. In the distance, one could see the faint jagged outline of the mountains that loomed outside the city's protective walls.

A young man stood alone in the center of the room, his arms crossed on his chest as he stared pensively out the impossibly wide windows. Briefly, he wondered if such a thing was necessary; did they really need large windows simply to look out at the city? It wasn't that scenic of a place, in his opinion. With a light sigh, he took his eyes from the landscape and back to the room, silently chiding himself for thinking his pessimistic thoughts. Things had been going very well for him lately, and he did not want to mess anything up. Someone entered the room ahead of him and he automatically snapped to attention, his boots clapping together with a small echo. He saluted, a bored look across his face.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

The other man smiled at the tone of voice. "At ease, soldier. Please have a seat."

The Krimzon Guard recruit fell into a chair and slouched, blowing the bangs from his eyes. He fixed the Captain with an impatient look, drumming his fingers on the armrests.

"You don't have to call me 'sir' when you're not training, Errol," the Captain told him.

Errol pretended to look around the room curiously, avoiding his gaze. He kicked his legs a few times before straightening back up.

"Well, sorry- it's a force of habit."

Captain Phoenix laughed lightly at his younger brother's comment, leaning back into his chair. Errol fixed him with a questionable look and pursed his lips. The sunlight played across his face and made him look much more youthful than he already was; he seemed pale to a certain degree, and Phoenix smirked.

"I've been speaking with Sergeant Simo about you," he went on, propping his foot up on his knee.

Errol looked annoyed, running a hand through his hair nervously. Both brothers shared the fiery red-orange locks, though Phoenix had more red, whereas Errol's was more of a yellow-orange. The latter rolled his eyes and crossed his arms again.

"Is that right? Did he actually have anything good to say?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Phoenix answered, "He told me you're on your way to a promotion if you keep it up. I'm impressed by you, even." He ignored the scowl from Errol and continued. "You have a great capacity to learn and take orders- as well as give them. You're great in weapons training and your marks have been good in P.T. as well. Play your cards right, kid, and you could make an excellent officer."

"…Thank-you, I suppose," Errol muttered, avoiding his eyes.

It meant a lot for him to get comments from his older brother, and the fact that Phoenix was his commanding officer was slowly beginning to feel less uncomfortable. He looked up at the Captain and leaned forward slightly, lacing his fingers together. Phoenix read the expression on his face and sighed.

"I'm sorry I haven't spoken to you for awhile-"

"About six months, Phoenix," Errol replied tersely.

"I couldn't help it," he stressed, "I was fighting then; I thought you would understand more so than Mother and Father."

Errol frowned; of course he had. But Phoenix had not been there the day he'd graduated from the KG Academy or the day he'd joined the Guard. And his absence was clearly felt.

"You could have told us you weren't coming home," Errol said quietly.

Phoenix winced at sound of the soldier's voice. Before he could say anything, Errol continued.

"You could have made the time! And after all the nonsense we heard about the Icelands, Father and I feared you were dead."

Phoenix couldn't help laughing, which drew another scowl from his brother. Momentarily, Errol looked like the little kid that used to tag along behind him all the time, wanting to know his every move. But the 'boy' disappeared as quickly as he had come; Phoenix nodded.

"Alright, Errol- I know you're right. But I truly am sorry for not being able to have contact with any of you. And I don't think Mother cares much now that I'm home."

Errol smirked. "Well, that's true. And I don't hold grudges- for long," he added, after his brother raised an eyebrow at him. "We're both soldiers now; I've done away with stupidity."

"I'm glad."

Phoenix fixed him with a somewhat critical gaze, knowing full well that Errol was still capable of being as irresponsible and brash as any other eighteen-year-old. Errol didn't want his brother's watchful eye on him any longer, but Phoenix was more than willing to keep tabs on him, be it secretly or not. But first, they needed to connect once again; to be as they were before Phoenix left to join the Krimzon Guard himself.

"As you've probably heard, the annual Formal for the KG officers will be held in a few days," the Captain began, straightening up in his chair. "I'd like you to come, Errol."

"You're sure?"

He seemed genuinely surprised. Phoenix had to laugh, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure. I want you to meet my colleagues in a more…relaxed…situation. Consider it chance for us to catch up on all that we've missed in the past few months."

Errol considered it, stroking his chin absently. "I'll come, then…"

"Great," Phoenix replied, clapping his hands together, "And bring a friend while you're at it. This is the only time of the year we get to drink, laugh and act like idiots, after all."

The two brothers shared a laugh, and Errol smiled at the Captain. He stood up, shaking his hand.

"I'll be there, Phoenix- that's a promise."

*******

Corporal Torn was no longer having a great day. He'd only just figured out his cousin had dropped off his eight-year-old brother in the Krimzon Guard barracks for the day to go to a job interview. Torn had been in the Recreation Hall for most of the day, seeing as how the only thing the recruits had to suffer through was a round of P.T. in the morning. His little brother had been dropped off around eleven o'clock in Torn's dorm room; his cousin Tess had left a note there for him and his roommate Hector, though the former hadn't been around to read it.

Hector remembered to tell Torn what was going on at half-past one o'clock.

"Oh yeah!" he was saying as he lined up a shot with the pool cue, "Tess came by this morning and dropped off your brother."

Torn choked on his drink. "_WHAT_?!"

Hector nodded, and auburn-haired recruit let out a loud shout of disbelief, throwing his head back.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"Sorry, man! I forgot!"

Torn growled, dropping his own pool cue on the table and sprinting out of the Rec Hall, slamming open the doors as he went. He ran down the drab grey corridors, hugging the walls at times to avoid slamming into other recruits as he went. After muttering several apologies, he finally found the door to his room and shoved it open with his shoulder

"Mik?!"

His belongings had been rifled through, but his brother wasn't there. Frantically, he searched the room, looking under both beds and the small desk pushed up against the far wall.

"Dammit!"

He jumped to his feet and ran back the way he came, elbowing people out of his path this time, all manners aside. He searched the entire floor, and still no Mik. He ran into Hector again, realizing his friend wanted to apologize but only sprinted past him, the scenery blurring around him. Torn was close to pulling his hair out; if the Guards found his brother walking around unescorted or without a military I.D. they'd both be in trouble.

Not knowing what else to do, he threw himself into the elevator and punched the button for the next floor. The Recreation Hall was part of the small Krimzon Guard section of the Palace, a towering monolithic building that stretched into the sky above Haven City. The King and Queen resided inside, as well as the Governor and anyone else of high political status. A small sector had been reserved for the Krimzon Guards as well as the new recruits; the barracks in the KG Fortress had already been filled, and the stragglers were sent to live in the Palace.

The elevator dinged, and Torn rushed out to begin the search all over again. Still nothing. He was nearing desperation, now; he ran back to the elevator and punched the button yet again, heading for the highest floor he dared without heading for the Royal floors. That stupid ding sounded yet again and he hurried out before the doors had even opened all the way. He knew the Gardens were on this floor, tended to only by the Queen herself. Quickly, Torn picked up his pace and head for them.

To his surprise, the Queen was standing beneath the arch in the entranceway, her hands clasped together. She smiled sweetly at him, tilting her head slightly. Strands of wavy blonde hair fell across her shoulders as she did so, and she tucked them back behind her ear. Her smile widened as she watched Torn skid to halt to stand at attention.

"M'lady," he said.

She waved her hand, dismissing his actions. "At ease, soldier."

Torn slouched, and she laughed at him.

"You must be Recruit 8-21-52?" she said.

"Uh, yes, that's right."

The Queen arched an eyebrow. "I think I have someone for you to meet."

Torn followed her inside the Gardens, careful not to step on the end of her long cherry-red sundress. Her sandals snapped lightly against her heels as they walked into what felt like a small jungle, several flowers and plants completely surrounding them. The Gardens were open to the elements, and the sun showed brightly through the screen of leaves. The Queen pointed to a large fountain ahead of them, where a little boy was sitting, looking around in awe at all the foliage.

"Mik!" Torn exclaimed.

His brother jumped at the sudden voice, looking at them worriedly. He noticed Torn and beamed, sliding from the small stone ledge and sprinting up to him. He jumped into his arms and Torn staggered back slightly.

"Thank God," he gasped.

The corporal set Mik back on the cobbled ground carefully, moving the bangs from the boy's forehead instinctively to look for bruises or any other wound he may have gotten. Mik wrinkled his nose as Torn checked him over.

"Why didn't you stay in my room?!" he demanded.

"…It was boring in there," Mik admitted, "Besides, I found Miss Jinny! She showed me the Gardens and all the flowers an' stuff! Isn't it cool, Torn?"

He heaved a sigh, gripping his brother's shoulders. Looking up at the Queen apologetically, he said,

"I'm sorry for all of this, M'lady-"

"That's alright," she told him with a grin, "And please call me Jinny. I wouldn't want to keep calling you by your serial number."

Torn managed a laugh. "Of course. How did you know it, anyway?"

Mik held up his hand for them to see, and a Krimzon Guard I.D. band spun around his little wrist.

"It's all in here!" he said, proudly.

"Your brother is quite adventurous, Torn, but he has caused no trouble. He can stay with you today if he needs to, but next time…try to plan it all out."

"I most certainly will," Torn replied, pulling Mik closer to him. The boy frowned in disapproval.

Jinny smiled at them again, reaching down to tousle Mik's hair. He blushed slightly.

"If anyone gives you any problems, just ask to see me- I'll vouch for you two."

"Thank-you again, M'lady. I'll have to repay you someday," said Torn, who couldn't stress his gratitude enough.

Jinny shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Have a wonderful day, Corporal Torn. And Mik, make sure you listen to your brother."

"I will, M'lady!" he chirped.

He waved to her over his shoulder as Torn dragged him out of the Gardens. Jinny winked at the little one before they both turned the corner and were gone from sight. Mik beamed up at his brother, who had clenched his hand fiercely in his own.

"I'm glad to see you, Torn," he said.

"Well…I guess I'm glad to see you too," he huffed as they marched along, "But boy am I mad at your cousin right now..."

"Don't be mad at Tessie! She was really happy- the job is in the Coast and she's wanted to work there forever." Mik frowned curiously at Torn and continued. "She left you a note; she couldn't wait anymore, or she would've been late."

Torn growled. "Let's just say Uncle Hector isn't always so reliable."

The two of them walked along through the hallways in silence, Mik taking two steps for every one Torn took. Since he didn't want anyone to spot him with Mik, he decided to go the long way back to the barracks. Unfortunately, they had to walk through the loading bays to get to the stairs. The overhead fluorescent lights cast a strange yellow glow and angular shadows appeared on the floor as they traveled. Mik dragged his feet as they walked, enjoying the echo his sneakers created on the concrete floor. The humming of machinery drowned out the sound of their footsteps to Torn's relief, and he continued to pull his brother along. A slight breeze rustled their hair and Mik wrinkled his nose.

"It smells like our backyard here," he said.

Torn smirked as they continued up a pathway, Mik gazing up at the rows of crates and barrels labeled with the Krimzon Guard logo. A sudden voice cried out, causing them both to jump in surprise.

"Hey! Stop!"

Torn's eyes widened and he muttered a swear; a Guard had spotted them. Not knowing what else to do, he shoved Mik around the corner and out of sight. The eight-year-old yelped in protest, but it was enough to get him completely behind the cover of a few crates. The Guard had jogged up to Torn, rifle seemingly raised threateningly. The Corporal held up his hands in surrender.

"Are you…Torn?" the Guard wanted to know.

"What's it to you?"

The KG reached for something; Torn tensed, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Here you go."

An envelope was placed in his hand. Torn frowned, reading his name on the front in neat cursive. His shoulders slouched slowly and he looked back up at his companion questioningly.

"It's not from me," the Guard said.

Torn nodded, smirking sheepishly. "Right..."

A dull thud suddenly sounded around the corner, and they both went around the corner to see what had happened. Mik was standing immobile in front of them, staring at an upturned barrel. His wide eyes watched as a dark slick of blue liquid oozed out of the drum, gurgling into a nearby drain.

"…uh-oh," he said.

Torn hurriedly picked him up, and Mik cried out, kicking his legs.

"It's not Dark Eco," the Guard informed them, "It's a very pure form of Blue Eco, straight from a pool. We use it to make weapons and fuel."

"Put me down!" Mik whined.

"It's the city's problem now," said Torn, still hanging on to his brother. Mik beat on him a few times, but his grip remained the same.

"Yeah; I suppose…"

The KG's eyes narrowed from behind the helmet he wore. Torn laughed nervously, and he started walking away hurriedly. He shouted a final thanks over his shoulder as they left the loading bays and into another hallway. He prayed the Guard wasn't following, and quickened his pace. Mik whined again; he was now being held around the middle, like a package.

"Torn, lemme go!"

"Not a chance; you're accident-prone today."

Mik flailed around briefly before finally giving up. His brother hauled him back to his dorm room, kicking open the door. Torn dropped him on to Hector's bed and Mik yelped, rubbing his bottom.

"Thanks," he grumbled, watching as Torn sank down on his own bunk, turning an over envelope in his hands.

"What is it?"

Mik shuffled over to him, plopping down beside the Krimzon Guard recruit. Torn frowned down at the papers in his hand, scanning the tidy handwriting inside.

"I've been invited to the Formal for the KG officers…"

Mik grinned excitedly. "Sweet eco! That means you have to get all dressed up, huh? Wow…it'll be ages since I've seen you look nice."

Torn scowled at his little brother, folding the paper once again. Mik went on smiling, and the older of the two sighed.

"What the hell, kid; you're right…"


	2. All the Night's 'Magic'

**Author's Note: Simo, Mik, Hector, Jinny and Bill and Phoenix (though I share them with somone) belong to me, everyone else is Naughty Dog's and so on… And comments on this chapter is greatly appreciated! I'd LOVE to know what you think about the little twist at the end! ;D**

Torn had some competition within the next few days; Errol had just been promoted to Corporal as well. It dint' come as a surprise to anyone, really; Errol was always one step behind Torn- he just couldn't let him get too far ahead…

He had made the decision to go to the Formal, in spite of the fact he wasn't crazy about dancing at all. The recruits and Guards alike had all been granted a day off that weekend in order to celebrate; Torn realized he'd just be wasting away a night at the Hip Hog Saloon anyway. He didn't tell Tess he was going, either, for fear of her guffawing in his face-or worse- offering to make him look 'presentable' for the occasion. She was going out that night with her girlfriends anyway, and told him she'd be late. Torn figured she wouldn't notice if he was gone.

The only ones in on his secret plans were Mik and Hector, who would be watching the former that night.

"I got an 'A' on my Family History project," Mik stated proudly from the doorway to Torn's room.

"Is that right?"

Torn was knotting a blue tie around his neck as he spoke. He could see Mik's reflection in the mirror and the little boy nodded, stuffing another cherry tomato in his mouth. Torn made a face; it was the only vegetable Mik would eat, and he'd eat them by the pound if they let him.

"Yup," he said, "My teacher liked how we had all those really old pictures."

"Well, good. Knew they'd come in handy for something," Torn replied, smoothing his collar over the tie. He fell back on to the bed and grabbed for the only pair of dress shoes he owned.

Mik frowned curiously. "You don't look right for some reason."

"I know," Torn laughed, "I don't _feel_ right."

The eight-year-old popped another tiny tomato in his mouth and crunched it loudly, cringing slightly at the taste. Torn rolled his eyes, knowing he'd eat them bitter or not. Mik came over and jumped on to his bed as his older brother shrugged on a black suit jacket, staring at his reflection.

"Can I stay up tonight?" Mik questioned, slurping up the last tomato.

"Nope- it's a school night."

Mik snorted. "It's _Friday_, Torn!" he protested, pouting slightly.

Torn straightened the jacket, still fussing over his reflection as Mik started bouncing on his bed, making the springs creak with each leap. Ignoring this for the time-being, Torn turned to him and spread his arms.

"How do I look kid?"

Mik studied him critically, still jumping. "Like Dad," he replied from the air.

Torn blinked, looking back at his reflection again. Mik sang nonsense as he jumped and flopped back on the bed with a horrible squeak, once again in a sitting position. His strawberry-blond hair was flipped up and piled on to one side of his hair, and he puffed the bangs from his eyes.

"You really think I look like him?"

Mik nodded. "I remember Dad used to get all dressed up for work."

Torn smirked, shaking his head. "Right. But I don't spend all day in an office…as much as I'd like to."

Mik jumped off the bed and Torn caught him, spinning on his heels from the momentum and plopping the boy back on the carpet. He watched as Torn raked his fingers through his hair in order to get the gel working. Mik smiled.

"Spiky," he said, "Girls like spiky hair."

Torn gave him an odd look as he gently pushed him out of his room. Mik skipped down the hallway, grabbing his little backpack from the floor and slinging it over his shoulders. His hair had fallen back to normal and he shook the bangs from his eyes as he bounced around.

"How would you know anything about that?" Torn asked as he followed Mik downstairs, grabbing whatever his brother had forgotten.

Mik shrugged. "Dunno." As he waited by the front door for Torn to fish the keys from his pocket, the boy innocently inquired, "Who invited you, big brother?"

The nineteen-year-old laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Mik shuffled out the door and down the rickety porch steps, squinting slightly in the glare from the city lights. Torn pulled the door closed behind them and gripped Mik's shoulder as they walked to the beaten family zoomer.

"Yes I would. Why do grown-ups say that all the time and not tell anyone the answer?!" Mik huffed as he clambered on to the vehicle in front of his brother.

Torn just smiled and shook his head.

They took a short zoomer ride to Hector's house in the Water Slums, Mik making racing noises the whole trip. Hector was waiting for them already on the dock, his arms crossed on his chest.

"His bed time is eight," Torn informed him as Mik scurried into the house, "No sugar after six-thirty; he's already done his homework and he's been fed. It's six-fifteen now, so you can give him some ice-cream if you have it. And if you can help it, don't give him anymore of those damn tomatoes."

Hector nodded. "Got it."

"You sure? Because last time there was a slight problem…"

"How the hell was I supposed to know the kid would flip to a SkinFlix channel?!" Hector returned indignantly, "It was a freak twist of fate!"

Torn couldn't help laughing, shaking his head.

"It's alright, dude- I'm just makin' fun of you." He raised his voice to shout to Mik, who was already rummaging through Hector's things. "Bye, kiddo!"

"Bye big brother!" Mik shouted, "Have fun at the thing!"

Torn smiled, saying good-bye to Hector before slinging his leg back over the zoomer and starting it up. The vehicle lurched into the air, and he sped off toward the Palace.

Traffic was heavier than he'd anticipated, cutting his time of arrival very close. If he didn't hurry, he'd be late. Hurriedly, he found a parking space, swearing up a storm at the fact some guy had cut him off only minutes earlier. Torn ran past the nearby fountain and up the Palace stairs, slipping in his dress shoes. Swearing once again under his breath, he staggered inside and punched elevator button for the ballroom floor.

The ballroom was one floor beneath the Throne Room, and Torn had never set foot inside it for obvious reasons. For one thing, he wasn't allowed in the higher areas of the Palace, due to the fact he wasn't royalty or an official Krimzon Guard. Second of all, he hated dancing and any place that had a dance floor. But he figured he couldn't disappoint that night…

The elevator dinged, and he winced, strangely hateful of that sound. Torn stepped quickly down the corridor, careful not to trip over the carpet in his haste to arrive. _Why the hell am I always late for something? _he thought bitterly.

The entrance was blocked by two armed Guards, who turned their critical attention to him as he arrived.

"Evening sir," one of them said, "Do you have an invitation?"

Torn dug in his pocket for the envelope and handed it over. He waited patiently as the Guard read it, straining his ears to hear the music coming from inside.

"You're all set, sir," the Guard told him, handing the paper back.

"Thanks."

Torn nodded to him before stepping into the ballroom. He couldn't help but be surprised.

Several golden chandeliers hung from above, glittering and lighting the room in a soft golden glow. Wide windows lined the entire area, framing the night sky and the cityscape perfectly between dark blue drapes that hung to the floor. The walls were painted a bright ivory, outlined with a royal blue. The Seal of Mar was visible on every other wall.

Several round tables skirted the edge of the dance floor, where people had gathered to talk holding glasses of wine and other drinks in their hands. There was space for a band to play by a few of the windows, and a small string section had occupied the space at the moment. On the other side of the dance floor was a long table for the King and Queen, Damas and Jinny, Baron Praxis and the two most celebrated officers of the night- Captain Phoenix and Sergeant Simo.

"Wow…"

Torn had finally become aware that he was standing in the middle of the place, staring around like an idiot. He snapped himself out of the peculiar daze and prayed no one had been watching him. He reminded himself to keep his manners and act like he went to places like this all the time. Torn spied the Baron in the crowd up ahead, then caught sight of his teenaged daughter, Ashelin. He 'excused' his way through the group to catch up with her.

"…Lady Ashelin!" he called.

She turned around, her long red hair whirling out around her. Ashelin's lips spread into a grin at the sight of him and her emerald eyes lit up.

"Corporal Torn!" she laughed, "You made it!"

For some reason the fact that this kid was happy to see him made him laugh with her.

"Yeah, I made it; did you think I'd decline?"

Ashelin shrugged. "Pretty much."

Torn rolled his eyes jokingly and she giggled.

She was dressed in a beautiful blue silk dress that bunched slightly under her left arm, a single strap curling around her shoulder and straight across her back. Her hair was pulled back slightly by a small sapphire-studded headband and matching earrings dangled from her ears.

Torn felt like a bum next to her. Funnily enough, as he was thinking that, she remarked,

"You look nice tonight."

Torn snickered. "Thanks, I guess. You look much better than I do, kid."

She blushed, but frowned at him. "I told you not to-"

"Corporal?!" a deep voice interrupted, "What are you doing here?"

Torn straightened up automatically. Baron Praxis stood before him, a glass of wine in hand and a scowl on his face. He put a hand on Ashelin's shoulder protectively as she said,

"Father, I invited Torn…you've met before."

They shook hands almost cautiously. Ashelin exchanged nervous looks with Torn.

"I thought it was best to invite him; he's a talented soldier and has joined the Guard even with his young brother in school," she continued. "He's fit to be an officer in my opinion."

Praxis grunted. "We shall see, won't we?"

He left to visit with the other guests, but not before glaring at the Corporal. Ashelin grabbed Torn's arm and laughed, watching as her father stalked away.

"Hey good for you- you survived," she giggled.

Torn let out a relieved sigh. "He hates me, y'know. Should've thought more about that."

The teen rolled her eyes, steering him toward Jinny and Damas. He gulped and prayed that he didn't look too much like a slob. They seemed happy to see him, Jinny especially, who was looking beautiful that night in a golden-yellow strapless dress. Torn spoke with them for a long while, before a familiar voice said,

"Oy, how'd a punk like you get in here?'

A strong hand gripped his shoulder and Torn turned sharply to face Bill, Damas and Jinny's bodyguard and a good friend of his. Bill gurgled a laugh at Torn's expression, slapping him on the back.

"Look at you," Torn said, eyebrows raised, "All dressed up and ready to party."

"Speak for y'self, mate," Bill replied with a smile, slinging an arm roughly around his shoulders.

"Yeah, but I feel like a bum compared to them."

Bill shook his head, leading him away from the group. Ashelin waved to Torn as they departed.

"Aw, cut that out. You want a drink?"

"_Hell_ yes."

Bill smirked and led him over to a table lined with tall glasses of bubbling champagne. He snatched one up for Torn, who took it readily.

"So how the hell did you get your ass in here?" Bill wanted to know, reaching for a glass for himself.

"Ashelin," was the reply.

Bill smiled into his glass. "Coulda figured that one out."

Torn frowned, taking a sip of the champagne. He coughed seconds later; it was much sweeter than he'd expected. Bill ignored this, turning to watch the room, running a hand through his dark brown hair as he did so. Torn wasn't used to seeing his friend outside of the mechanic's shop or the barracks; to see him formally dressed was slightly strange.

"Y'know, I always get stuck takin' Ashelin home early; maybe she'll stay now that she's got a friend."

Torn raised his eyebrows. "If I'm good friend material, then I'll drink five more of these." He even held up the little glass for emphasis.

Bill rolled his eyes and shook his head. He caught a familiar face and elbowed Torn, nodding his head.

"Oy, there's Simo," he half-laughed.

Torn squinted. "Jeez, he looks ten times different than what I'm used to."

They watched as Torn's drill Sergeant- a fairly tall man with dark hair and blue-green eyes- strode through the collection of guests, talking amiably with a few. He stopped in front of a woman, then smiled and leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. Torn coughed on his champagne again.

"Simo's got a _wife_?!" he sputtered.

Bill shrugged, seemingly just as surprised. "Guess so…that's sumthin' huh?"

Torn continued to watch as the Sergeant took the woman's hand in his, about to lead her toward Captain Phoenix, who was standing by the Baron a few feet ahead. The woman turned, revealing a small brown-haired baby balanced on her hip. Bill coughed this time.

"Cor blimey! 'E's got an ankle-biter, too!!"

Torn laughed in disbelief. "Oh my God. This is just too damn _weird_."

He and Bill watched Simo for awhile longer until they couldn't see him. Torn realized that he was very hungry at this point; it was either the anxiety or he really hadn't eaten that much at home. He left Bill to head for a small table lined with food. With a small sigh, he leaned against the table, chewing on something, still watching the people walk around. He'd already decided this party needed some better music than the stupid 'ambient' songs were playing. It was too quiet; they needed a real band- not some nerds who played violins. He grabbed another morsel of food at random and stuffed it in his mouth. To his surprise, a horrible taste greeted him. Cringing, he looked back at what he'd eaten. Unfortunately, he'd grabbed a cracker with a bunch of black eggs on it, and he couldn't get the awful taste out of his mouth. And swallowing it only made it worse. With muffled swears, he forced himself to eat it, shuddering.

"Ugh…fuckin' caviar for God's sake?!"

He realized a man had been watching him this whole time and heaved a sigh. He took out a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"I'm allergic," he said.

The man raised his eyebrows as if he didn't believe him. Torn growled and stalked away, taking his champagne with him. It was then he recognized something amidst the hundreds of seemingly nameless guests: the fiery orange of Errol's hair. Torn smirked and made his way over to the newly promoted Corporal. He was standing off to the side, his hands in his pockets; it looked like he was waiting for something. Torn stepped up to him, and smiled at the complete surprise that lighted Errol's face.

"Torn?! What're you doing here?!"

His voice sounded a bit higher than normal for some reason. His amber eyes were wide with shock; the light showed gently over him, and Torn noticed Errol had yet to get his Corporal's tattoos.

"Well 'hello' to you too," he returned dryly, "Ashelin invited me. What about you? I don't think you belong here, either."

"…Phoenix asked me to come," Errol said.

He avoided Torn's eyes, suddenly interested in his shoes. Torn snorted.

"Really? Caused any trouble yet?"

Errol laughed, though it was a strange, nervous laugh. "Not yet..."

Torn narrowed his eyes critically, noticing Errol seemed antsy all the sudden; his shoes tapped the marble floor relentlessly.

Apparently, Errol had also forced himself into formal attire, wearing black slacks, a white shirt and a navy blue jacket. Flame-colored bangs hung to the middle of his forehead, which he brushed away constantly.

"You alright, man?" Torn asked him, an eyebrow raised.

"Hm? Oh…uhm, yes. I'm just…" Errol sighed, "waiting for someone."

Torn laughed between sips of champagne. "No way! You have a _date_?!"

Errol pulled on his skinny black necktie, heaving a sigh.

"Well, I-"

"Aw, I have to meet this chick!!" Torn cackled, sipping the last of his drink.

"But-"

"Torn?" a soft, oddly familiar voice said.

He turned at the sound of his name, only to choke on the champagne and have it come shooting from his mouth in a bizarre fountain.

Tess stood before him, dressed her best, a somewhat worried look across her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Errol slapped a hand over his face, shaking his head. Torn could only cough, trying to gasp air into his lungs.

"Oh…My God," he rasped.


	3. Stars up Above in Your Eyes

**Author's Note: This chapter was a bit hard to write. I hope you enjoy it, because it was kind of a pain in the butt, being all descriptive. Ha ha. Happy reading. :D**

Tess was looking at him, a half-grimace across her pretty features. It looked like she wanted to say something, but wasn't quite sure if he was going to speak before her. She looked very nice, in all actuality; dressed in a plain but elegant white strapless dress, which hung to her knees. A black ribbon was tied around her waist and her blonde hair was piled on top of her head, held in place with small pink barrettes just visible through the curls. She wore a black pair of strapped heels as well as the pink bracelet Mik had made for her in his Art class.

"I didn't know…you were coming," she said, biting her lip.

Errol read the expression on his fellow soldier's face and winced.

"Torn-" he began.

The Krimzon Guard held up a finger to stop him mid-sentence, turning his gaze back to Tess. She looked guilty about something, wringing her hands. The music sounded strangely loud in the deep silence that fell over them. Torn grasped her wrist firmly, saying,

"Let's talk for a minute."

"Torn," Tess sighed, but he was already dragging her away toward the table piled with food.

When they arrived, he spun around to face her, still clenching her wrist in his hand. Tess avoided his eyes and inspected her nails, which she had manicured earlier that day.

"This is 'hanging out with girlfriends?!'" Torn hissed in disbelief, "Unless half of the men in this room are _gay_, I don't see any girlfriends of yours around here!!"

Tess giggled in spite of how serious he was. Her smile was wiped away as soon as she looked back up at her cousin.

"I was going to tell you-"

"When?! After you guys skipped town and eloped?!"

"After tonight," Tess replied, more firmly this time. She looked up at him pleadingly. "I promise, Torn. This is our first real date instead of meeting at those silly cafés in South Town. I was going to tell you after tonight because…I'd know whether I really liked him or not."

Torn shuddered, grabbing the bridge of his nose. "Seriously, am I freaking dreaming?!"

Tess shushed him, aware that his voice was carrying. She looked back at where they'd left Errol, happy to note Sergeant Simo was talking to him for the time-being.

"He's not what you think, Torn," she said.

"I should be saying that to _you_!"

Tess pursed her lips, shaking her head. "He treats me nice; I can tell he likes me- he's really a gentleman…and I'm happy when we're together."

Torn stuck his tongue out in disgust, crossing his arms and looking away from her. Tess hit him on the arm, harder than she'd wanted- but it got his attention none-the-less.

"Cut it out, will you?! I'm serious about this! What's so bad about Errol that you don't feel comfortable about me dating him?"

"The guy's an arrogant bastard," Torn whispered angrily.

"Well, obviously you're wrong somewhere, because he introduced me to Captain Phoenix," Tess returned, her hands on her hips, "And that's a big deal."

Torn heaved a sigh, looking back at her crookedly. She stared back at him defiantly, her thin eyebrows knitted into a frown. Her jaw was set firmly and her pink lips pouted slightly.

He'd never seen her so adamant about anything.

"Don't you trust me, Torn?" she asked him, gently.

He sneered slightly, avoiding her deep blue eyes. "…Yeah…"

Tess beamed. She straightened his collar and smoothed down one of his lapels. He noticed she was wearing the sliver locket he'd given her for her birthday, and the dangling earrings to match them.

"You look very nice, by the way," she told him.

Torn snorted, hiding a grin of his own.

"Don't you think you're showing a little bit too much skin?" he grunted, nodding to her dress.

"No," Tess said, swishing the skirt slightly, "This is hardly something for you to worry about. You've yelled at me for shorter than this old thing."

Torn rolled his eyes at Tess' smile. Before she could ask him anything further, he said,

"Get out of here before I change my mind."

Tess beamed, pecking him quickly on the cheek before walking back over to Errol, whose expression softened upon seeing her. Torn blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair; he needed more champagne.

*******

Sergeant Simo was soon celebrated with a nice speech by Captain Phoenix. The latter was honored by Praxis, who informed all the guests of just how much work and dedication Phoenix put into the Krimzon Guard. Jokes were told, and everyone laughed; the Captain and the Sergeant stood by respectfully and nodded their heads, briefly allowing smiles to cross their faces. Damas was the final person to honor both officers, congratulate them on their success, and wish them a career of longevity in the years to come.

Torn found himself sitting alone at a table, watching Tess and Errol out of the corner of his eye. The speeches were all very nice, but he'd hardly listened to them, mainly because he was distracted and he didn't really care for places like this. A chair scraped across the floor across from him, and he turned to look up at Ashelin, who flashed him a small smile.

"Hi," she said, "Nice speeches, huh?"

Torn nodded. "Sure."

Ashelin sighed, staring at the small candle in the center of the table. Torn took another sip of champagne and set the glass down, tapping his fingers impatiently on his knee. Ashelin tilted her head.

"What's it taste like? I'm not allowed to have any…"

Torn smirked. "It's not bad, actually. Pretty sweet; kinda sugary."

Ashelin nodded, and he laughed, turning in his seat to face her. She smiled back at him, the firelight glinting off of the sapphires in her hair. Torn jerked a thumb at the long table behind her.

"Why aren't you sitting with them?"

She shrugged. "You're my guest- I should talk to you, shouldn't I?" Ashelin smiled at the face he made. They fell back into silence, and she broke it by saying,

"You…you aren't annoyed by me are you?"

Torn frowned, fiddling with his tie. "No. Should I be?"

"Oh, well…I thought you wouldn't like that I invite you," Ashelin explained, blushing slightly.

"Nah. Whatever gets me out of the house."

Ashelin laughed, and he smirked again. His eyes drifted back over to where Tess and Errol were standing. Both were laughing about something…

"- So Torn tripped! And I mean, this was like a terrible, dramatic trip- arms flailing and everything. It was hilarious! Next thing I know - Bam! - He fell flat on his face in front of everyone, and took the tablecloth with him!" Tess paused to giggle at the memory. "And he's hated dancing ever since."

Errol shook his head, holding back more laughter. He could picture it perfectly, and knew he would've paid anything to have seen it.

"Well, that certainly explains a lot," he said.

Tess nodded, still smiling. "Oh yeah…"

"So you and Torn are pretty close?"

"Sure," Tess shrugged. "He was my favorite cousin! And after Mik was born, I visited them all the time," a somewhat sad expression crossed her face and she sighed. "When my aunt and uncle-his parents- died, my family took Torn and Mik in and I moved in with them later on to help out. Miky needs a good family, y'know…"

Errol raised his eyebrows. "That was quite generous of you."

"They're family- I'd do anything for them," Tess replied with a wave of her hand.

"So is Torn going to beat me up later? Should I be on my guard?"

"No. I fixed it."

Tess gently grabbed his hand, wriggling her fingers between his. She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, unaware of the petrified look that had crossed his face. Errol blew out a breath and was ashamed to feel his heart fluttering in his chest. But how else was he supposed to react? A beautiful girl liked him, and was holding his hand. And then it hit him; he gently reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the small flower he'd meant to give to her earlier. It had occurred to him a few minutes before he picked her up that he wanted to by her a corsage, but time had not been on his side, so-with the Queen's permission- he'd raided the Gardens for a flower. He looked down at it in his hand; a large pink blossom with a thin outline of blue on each petal.

"Tess," found himself saying, "I have something for you."

She looked up at him curiously, and her lips spread into a grin at the sight of the flower.

"Oh, you're so sweet," she said, "Can you believe no one has ever given me flowers? Seriously…sometimes girls like the old stand-by."

Errol smirked, moving to pin it on her dress, but realized with a pang of worry that she wore a strapless. His hands hovered stupidly over her shoulders. She laughed at him, gently taking one of his wrists and moving it up.

"Put it in my hair, silly," Tess said.

"…Right," Errol replied with a nervous laugh he was silently horrified by.

Tess blushed a deep red as he carefully tucked the blossom under one of the pink barrettes in her hair, hoping the light was too dim for him to notice.

Torn suppressed a groan of disbelief. Now the jerk was putting some kind of moves on her. He shuddered again, and Ashelin took notice.

"You okay?"

"…No."

She blinked. "You were fine five minutes ago."

"Oh," Torn sighed, "It's nothing. My cousin just must be insane."

Ashelin looked where he had been staring moments ago. Captain Phoenix's brother stood with a young blonde woman at the edge of the dance floor, grabbing her hand in his. Ashelin smiled.

"She's dating him, am I right?"

Torn nodded grimly, rubbing his face with both hands.

"And you don't like her taste in men, apparently?"

"Nope," the Corporal replied, taking yet another sip of champagne. He was beginning to like the stuff. Ashelin shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"What? You're gonna tell me not to worry?" Torn growled, "That I'm over-reacting?"

"Pretty much."

"Well that's great, really. I'll be taking advice from a fifteen-year-old!"

Ashelin scowled at him. She glanced back at the couple, then back to Torn.

"If she's happy, what does it matter?"

Torn sighed again, leaning back in his chair. They fell into silence, watching as the people slowly waltzed around to the gentle hum of the strings. Torn smirked as he saw Captain Phoenix dancing in the circle with his weapons Sergeant, Syd. She looked particularly nice in a jet black dress and diamond earrings.

"Torn…do you want to know why I invited you?" Ashelin quietly asked.

"Sure."

She hesitated a moment, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Finally, she spoke.

"My father ignores me at places like this…it's always about business, y'know? I have no one to talk to." Ashelin paused, staring at people dancing, "Captain Phoenix and Bill talk to me- they even dance with me sometimes. But… it's different talking to you; I invited you so that I could have a friend here, someone who wouldn't ignore me."

Torn frowned in concern, leaning farther over the table. The teen had avoided his eyes.

"You're the only person I know besides Jinny, Phoenix and Bill who treats me like an adult instead of a kid," she mumbled, as if embarrassed. Ashelin looked back up at him and smiled apologetically. "I suppose you think I'm all whiny now, huh?"

"No," Torn shook his head, "That's alright. You're a good friend, ki- I mean- Ashelin. Thanks for inviting me."

She grinned at him gratefully this time. The strings had stopped playing; guests clapped as the players exited the ballroom, bowing respectfully.

"Thank God," Torn muttered.

Ashelin giggled as a new group came in to take over. The lead man was smoking a fat cigar, his blond hair slicked back; a battered, scarlet electric guitar was slung over his shoulder. He waved down the clapping as his band settled in behind him, dragging a drum kit into view. A group of trombonists and a saxophone player took their places to the guitarists left; a bass player arrived and stood on his right. A piano was wheeled in as well, a man with crazy black hair sitting behind it. The lead man grabbed the microphone and it squealed briefly with feedback before his gruff voice echoed around the room.

"Evenin' Ladies and Gents! We are mighty glad to be here tonight, an' we've come to rescue your ears from the nonsense you just heard. This first song is dedicated to the main man himself, Captain Phoenix."

The guitarist removed the cigarette from his mouth and ground it out on top of one of the amplifiers behind him. He grinned and stepped back up to the mic.

"Ladies, grab your man and get your asses on the dance floor! Hit it!"

The band roared to life, a burst of drums, guitar and horns. The piano came stomping in soon after and the room was filled with music. Torn grinned; now this was music. He watched as everyone appeared to listen for a moment, as if debating on what to do. People began tapping their feet uncontrollably; Torn and Ashelin bobbed their heads. A young officer and his date suddenly twirled out on to the dance floor and everyone else followed. The horns blared and the guitar followed their melody. The drums tumbled and the bass plunked along. The piano plinked madly, its player flailing in the seat behind. Torn burst into laughter after seeing Bill dancing around in the mass of guests, looking like an idiot.

Tess was beaming. She loved music like this, and whirled around to face Errol excitedly. Her eyes were bright with joy as she looked at him.

"Come on, let's dance!"

Errol shook his head, eyes wide. "Oh, uhm...I don' t think-"

"Let's go!!" Tess squealed, pulling on his arm.

She dragged him into the group and automatically started dancing, like she'd been waiting all her life. Errol watched as she fell into perfect step with the music, matching the tempo almost automatically. Tess snatched his arm and yanked him along with her. After a few minutes, she finally got him to start dancing along with her. Together, they danced a few steps, Tess giggling all the while. Errol grabbed her hand and twirled her around swiftly, causing her dress to fan out around her dramatically. She spun back to him so that her back was to him, and they danced the same steps again, only hers were backwards. The band had increased their speed and the horns blared yet again. Tess twirled away from him again so that she was arm's length away, his hand still clenched in hers.

"You're pretty good, see?" she said breathlessly, "Really good!"

She watched their feet, timing the steps accordingly; he clearly knew how to dance, but was going slower for her benefit. Tess beamed.

"I'm really bad- Phoenix is better," Errol replied, his voice loud over the roar of the band.

She only stared at him, letting out an uncontrollable laugh. He grabbed her by both hands and they spun around, watching as other couples did the same thing. Tess recognized a familiar face and waved at Torn, who was sitting at a table, his mouth hanging open stupidly.

"You can dance faster," Tess called to Errol, "I'm pretty good- quit holding back!"

He laughed as they both spun around this time, still keeping up with the band. Other couples had begun to watch them, now.

"Alright, then. No holding back- you've been warned," Errol told her with a smile.

He quickened his pace almost instantly, and Tess was surprised at how fast he could perform all the steps. Errol snatched her hand in his again and they danced together, legs kicking around like mad. Tess erupted into laughter as he grabbed her and spun her around swiftly so that her back was to him once again. By now, a few couples had actually stopped to watch them, clapping loudly along with the beat. Errol and Tess had both begun to perform the same steps together, holding on to each other's hands and moving back and forth as their feet went stomping the floor. They paused to both kick out their legs and Tess whooped as they started back up again, remaining perfectly synchronized. Errol actually laughed, a somewhat staccato sound from deep in his chest. He leaned down to tell her something.

"Can you do the high kick?" he asked as they still danced.

"Yeah!" Tess shouted.

Errol nodded and they both bounced at the same time, the former sweeping his leg back dramatically and bringing it back toward Tess. She jumped as he kicked, making it look like he'd hit her in the bottom; the crowd of couples exclaimed in surprise. Tess bounced back down to the floor and spun herself around so she was facing Errol once again. The people watching clapped, causing them both to grin broadly.

The band was steadily getting faster; the room seemed like one giant music box, rattling the window panes. Tess and Errol still danced, not really aware of anything else aside from the steps and not crushing one another's toes.

"Nice moves, boy, but you haven't danced in years!" shouted a familiar voice.

Errol turned to spy his brother dancing not too far away with Sergeant Syd in tow, who was looking exhausted already. Errol felt sorry for her; clearly she wasn't used to this kind of dancing. He scowled at his brother as he twirled Tess yet again, yelling in reply,

"You really think so, Phoenix?! Or are you just surprised?!"

Phoenix shook his head and laughed. "I thought you'd sworn it off the rest of your life."

Errol narrowed his eyes; his brother just grinned wickedly at him. Tess noticed this and giggled.

"We can beat 'im," she said.

"Of course we can," Errol replied, "Let's just step it up a bit."

He led Tess out to the middle of the dance floor, pushing his way through a few other couples. Phoenix and Syd followed. The band was loudest here; the trombone blared in their ears and the drums thudded in their chests. Errol looked down at Tess and she nodded at him, her hair falling out of place and curling at her cheeks. He grabbed her and they broke into a spin, watching Phoenix do the same. Syd held on for dear life, although she was smiling. The dance floor had cleared somewhat, though other couples were still dancing, trying to keep up with the music.

Errol held his partner at arm's length and they both grabbed one another's arms and pumped them back and forth, standing on one leg and kicking the air. Tess burst out laughing and almost couldn't keep it up. Errol laughed with her as they bounced to the other foot and repeated the motion. Phoenix grabbed Syd and they twisted into a tight spin before Syd pulled away and sank down, allowing her partner to kick out above her. Phoenix dropped back down so she could do the same and pulled her back up, bouncing to his feet. The two brothers 'dueled' in this fashion for several more steps; Errol was clearly frustrated now, thinking Phoenix was beating him…until he realized what he could do.

"Tess," he said in her ear, "I'm going for a flip."

Her blue eyes widened. "A flip?! I'm not good with those- last time I really hurt myself..."

"Do you trust me?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

Tess bit her lip, taking a moment. She nodded and Errol grinned. They continued dancing, and Tess flew out into another spin. She squeezed her eyes shut as she spun back, knowing the flip was coming any minute. Errol grabbed her by the waist and threw her into the air. She screamed, half-laughing as she spiraled over his head. Her heels clicked back on to the floor with a jarring clack, and she leaned heavily against Errol, her hair hanging into her eyes. He slung an arm around her and spread out his other arm to Phoenix, who looked genuinely surprised. The dancers burst into applause and Tess and Errol waved to them jokingly, taking a bow. Phoenix and Syd clapped as well, the former looking very impressed. The band came tumbling to a stop with one final burst from the horns and a crash of the cymbals.

"Woo! Give it up for the two young kids here!" shouted the lead guitarist, "My god- I've never seen moves like that!"

Tess clapped still, her arms above her head. She turned to Errol and practically fell into him. Phoenix came up to them to shake her hand.

"Young lady, you're one of the braver ones, letting my brother throw you around like that," he said with a laugh.

Tess beamed. "Thank-you, sir."

Phoenix turned to Errol, shaking his head. "I'll never doubt you again, kid."

Errol laughed, returning the handshake. Tess still leaned against him, trying to catch her breath. She exchanged exhausted looks with Syd.

"Of course not, Phoenix. Whatever gave you the idea I could be doubted?"

The Captain smiled, slinging his arm around his younger brother's shoulders. He shook his head.

"Let's get you a drink."


	4. Soft Moonlight

Tess practically guzzled down her glass of champagne, much to Errol's surprise. She clearly wasn't like anyone he'd met before, and was certainly making one hell of a first impression on Captain Phoenix. He was glad his brother seemed to like her, and strangely, Errol found himself no longer worried about what Phoenix would think of her. She was charming, sweet and bubbly; her hand still remained clenched in his. Phoenix left them to head out for the next dance, dragging a somewhat reluctant Syd behind him.

Tess leaned heavily against a nearby table, Errol beside her. They watched the dancers spin around on the marble floors and sighed. Tess turned to Errol, finishing off the last of her drink. Amazingly, the blossom had managed to stay put in her hair and she adjusted it carefully, neglecting to fix the curls that had fallen out

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?" she asked with a smile.

Errol looked thoughtful, scratching his neck absently. He shrugged.

"Let's just call it an old family tradition, I guess."

"_Really_? I wish my family would do something cool like that. I had to learn how to dance through classes, and a whole lot of experience," Tess replied, "I bet you were forced to learn, weren't you? Did Phoenix throw you across the room one to many times?"

She winked at him and Errol grinned, laughing slightly.

"No, nothing like that. Our parents could both dance, so when we were younger, they taught us how. My father's family is big, and whenever we got together for parties or anything like that, there would always be dancing," Errol watched Phoenix amongst the crowd, smiling and saying something that made Jinny and Damas laugh. "My brother loved it more than I did. I figured you couldn't be a Krimzon Guard and do that kind of thing."

Tess made a face, hitting him lightly on the arm. "So what?! I think it's great you can dance- makes you more distinctive. And you're pretty damn good."

"I think you're much better," Errol laughed.

"Now you're just being funny."

The party went on into the night, as did the dancing. Torn had sat out all of it, but Ashelin had kept him company, and with the promise that he wasn't boring her, he continued to talk to her about several things ranging from life in the KG to his 'adventures' with Mik.

"It seems to me like your brother looks at you like a hero," Ashelin said, fiddling with the straw in her soda drink. She rattled the ice around and waited for his reply.

"Something like that," Torn shrugged, "And I have to admit, it's a little weird to have someone looking up to me. I suddenly have to be careful of everything I do; I mean, if I screw up, I'm afraid he'll think it's okay, which is not a good thing."

"I'm sure you're a great role model for Mik. I mean, you're a corporal, and it's still pretty early in the training. Only a handful of people can do that."

Torn waved off her comments, allowing himself a half-smile.

"You're too nice, Ash."

She blushed. Before she could say anything further, Captain Phoenix walked up to the table, putting a hand on her shoulder. Ashelin looked up at him with a grin.

"Care to dance, dear?" he asked.

"Of course! But you'll have to ask my guest first."

She gestured to Torn, who felt Phoenix's gaze turn to him. The Captain laughed, extending his hand, which Torn shook, smirking.

"Corporal, great to see you here!"

"Yes, sir- a pleasure to be with the celebrated officers tonight."

Phoenix chuckled. "You don't mind if I barrow Lady Ashelin a minute?"

"No, take her."

Ashelin stuck her tongue out at him, obviously embarrassed by the way they were talking about her. Torn laughed as Phoenix took her by the wrist and walked her quickly out on to the dance floor, swinging right back into a dance.

Around mid-night, the band slowed things down; the chandeliers dimmed, and the ballroom was only lit by muted golden light. Pearly moonlight fell softly through the wide windows that lined the room, spilling on to the dance floor and creating small smoky shadows along the marble.

"Alright, folks," spoke the lead guitarist, "This is our last call. You guys have been awesome- get back out here for one last dance. Hope you had as great a night as we did."

Errol watched as the couples flooded back out into the space for a dance to the slow, jazzy music that the band had now started to play. He turned to Tess, who looked up at him expectantly.

"Do you mind if-?"

"Nope."

Errol smiled. "Alright."

He gently took her hand and led her back out amongst the others. They stepped into a free space in front of one of the large windows, where the city lights gleamed like jewels outside and the moonbeams washed over them softly. Their shadows were small and dark as they took their places and began to slowly dance in a circle. Tess couldn't help smiling at the look on Errol's face- petrified once again. He wrapped one of his arms around her waist and took her hand in his as they twirled slowly; she giggled at his expression as she edged closer to him. He was clearly intensely aware of how close they were, and tried not to look too much at her, pretending to be interested at something else over her head. Tess smirked and leaned closer to him, pressing her cheek against his chest. She could hear the pounding of his heart and smiled.

"I'm not going to break or anything," she told him.

Errol cleared his throat. "Yeah…uhm…I know."

He could smell the flowery scent of her hair; she sighed as the music carried through out the room, the soft whines of the guitar echoing around the room. The saxophone sounded, playing somewhat mournful notes; the drums were hardly recognizable as the drummer tapped the cymbals gently. The piano plinked somewhat playful and gentle notes simultaneously.

Tess stared out the window at the city, realizing she hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. Even at eighteen, she'd been through more than people gave her credit for. She had acted as a mother toward Mik for roughly six years now; boyfriends had come and gone for her, but never once did she actually think she was in love. She watched her reflection rotate in the window and sighed again. Something was different about Errol, and she knew it.

His grip had loosened on her somewhat, as if he'd finally relaxed. Errol gently laid his cheek on top of her head, closing his eyes briefly and continued to dance her slowly in a circle. He understood in that moment just how much he enjoyed her company, how she seemed to bring out the best in him. Almost cautiously, he pulled away from her and she turned her head to gaze up at him. Errol couldn't help smiling.

She looked so beautiful, with the moonlight accenting her features and her blue eyes staring back up into his. Her hair was in perfect disarray; blonde ringlets fell to her shoulders in a few places and one curled right along the edge of her chin. The pink and blue flower hung precariously amongst the curls on the top of her head, prompting Errol to gently straighten it for her. Her lips spread into a smile; her eyes danced.

"What?" she whispered.

Errol shook his head slightly. "Nothing…"

Tess' smile widened as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. They stopped dancing, standing immobile in the pool of glowing moonlight. It felt as though time had stopped, just for the moment as their lips touched, Tess gently running her fingers through his hair. Errol felt as though everything had melted away, except for her; the music was gone, the couples had vanished.

It was just the two of them, standing in the moonlight, locked in a gentle kiss.

Errol had wrapped his arms around her completely, holding her against him as if not about to let her go. When they finally parted after what felt like forever, the music came rushing back; suddenly there were dancers pressing in around them. But the moon light was still there, and they seemed to still be trapped in the lingering magic of their kiss.

Tess giggled breathlessly, leaning into him. She embraced him tightly, and he did the same, placing his chin on her shoulder. Errol could taste the faint cherry flavor of her lipstick and smiled. She whispered in his ear, her breath soft against his neck.

"Errol…thank-you so much for a wonderful night…"

He grinned, gently curling a strand of blonde behind her ear.

"It was my pleasure, Tess…"

She looked up at him, returning the smile and brought his lips to hers once again.


	5. Whisper and Hush

By midnight, Torn had decided he was pretty much ready to leave. Surprisingly, however, he found that being here hadn't been as awful as he'd previously thought. Ashelin teased him constantly about not wanting to dance, and she was dying to know exactly why he hated it so much.

"That's a story for next time," he told her with a grin, "Tess and I had better get going, anyway- Mik's waiting for us back home."

Ashelin nodded. She gave him a small hug and said,

"Bye Torn. Thanks so much for coming- I hope I'll see you again sometime."

"Oh, I'm sure you will. Your father will probably find some reason to punish me, and next time I'm getting chewed out, you're welcome to come visit."

She laughed, pulling away from him. "You got it, Corporal. Have a nice night."

"Thanks. You too."

Torn left Ashelin to weave back through the groups of well-dressed guests to find his cousin. On the way he bumped into Bill, who seemed to be a little tipsy; he dragged Torn back over to Jinny and Damas, and he bade farewell to them, stressing that he'd enjoyed everything and that he'd love to comeback next time. Jinny was surprised enough to giggle at him, and he actually felt himself blush.

He was soon back to scouting around for Tess, and finally succeeded in spotting her over by one of the windows with Errol. She was laughing with him of course, and Torn felt a distant pang of irritation. But, oddly enough, he remembered his conversation with Ashelin and her words suddenly rang in his ears. _If she's happy, what does it matter?_ He heaved a sigh, then looked back at the couple. Putting two fingers to his lips, he let out a shrill whistle and Tess turned, clearly recognizing it. She caught eyes with Torn and winked at him. He crossed his arms and waited.

"…I think I have to be going," Tess said with a smile.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to keep Torn waiting," Errol replied.

Tess laughed. "No you wouldn't."

She began walking toward her cousin and Errol followed at her side, wrapping an arm around her. Torn's face fell slightly and Tess could only smile.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"I think so."

Torn jerked his head at Errol. "What's up?"

Tess bit down a laugh as the two Krimzon Guards stared at each other for a moment.

"I thought I would walk the lady out- It'd be the proper thing to do, wouldn't you agree?"

"Alright," Torn snorted, "But no funny business."

Tess rolled her eyes as he walked on ahead of them. She gripped Errol's hand once again as they left the ballroom to head for the elevator. Errol shrugged the dark blue jacket from his shoulders and gently slung it around her. Tess thanked him shyly. All three of them stepped into the elevator and appeared at the entrance hall. Torn, obviously feeling very awkward in their presence, cleared his throat. Tess raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"I'm uh, gonna get the car. Think you two can stay here without…" Torn shook his head, "Just wait here, alright?"

"Whatever you say, Torn," Tess grinned.

He grumbled and stepped down the Palace staircase, leaving the two of them at the top. Tess brought the jacket closer around her shoulders as a small breeze rustled her hair. She turned to face Errol, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"So when can I see you again?" she asked, quietly.

Errol took a moment, pulling her closer after she shivered from the wind.

"How about Tuesday afternoon at the stadium?"

Tess wrinkled her nose, but smiled. "The stadium? What kind of date is that?"

"It'll be much better than you think," Errol assured her with a smirk, "And if you really don't like it…I'll take you to one of those restaurants again."

Tess laughed, shaking her head. She turned her gaze back up to him, and her eyes met his once again.

"Don't worry- it's a date."

They kissed each other once again, only to be interrupted by a blaring car horn. Tess jumped away from Errol, giggling like mad. Torn punched the horn impatiently once again as she quickly pecked Errol on the cheek and ran down the staircase, heels clicking all the while. She hopped on the zoomer behind Torn and waved. Errol returned the gesture and soon he was gone from sight.

"Did you have a good time?" Tess asked at a stoplight.

"Actually, yeah…went better than I thought. How about you?" Torn wanted to know, already knowing the answer for certain.

"I had a great time," was the reply.

The car started forward once again and they headed back home in the direction of the Slums. The sky was a deep navy blue, and several stars gleamed bright; the moon was full and illuminated the streets in a cool sapphire.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

Torn shook his head, smirking. "No, Tess, I'm not mad- anymore. But I trust you, and that's the bottom line. You're a smart girl, and I know that."

She squeezed him around the waist in a backwards hug. He couldn't see her smile, but he knew it was there. They had just cleared the Industrial sector and had flown into the Slums, Torn avoiding the traffic jam up to their left.

"So I had no idea you could dance like that," he said.

"Ha. I'm pretty good, aren't I?" Tess smirked.

Torn nodded, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah, pretty damn good."

They reached the Water Slums within the next few minutes. Torn parked alongside the dock in front of Hector's house and Tess hopped from the zoomer to the boards, stumbling only slightly. Hector opened the door shortly after they knocked, and in his arms was little Mik, out cold. He was even snoring a little. Tess cooed and reached for him. Mik stirred as Hector passed the boy over to her; Mik slung his arms around Tess' shoulders, his head resting under hers. His eyes were shut tight. Torn looked at his friend in approval.

"Good job, man. What the hell were you two doing the whole time? I mean, usually he's asleep before midnight, but still. He looks _cashed_."

Hector leaned against the jamb, crossing his arms. Tess gently swayed back and forth with Mik in her arms, kissing his temple.

"Well, we played hide and seek for like an hour," Hector began, "And before that he had some ice-cream. After hide and seek, we played soldiers for awhile, hence the messed up living room-" Hector jerked his thumb behind him, "And then he decided it would be funny rummage through my closet for the really old embarrassing clothes I have in there."

Torn sniggered; Tess gently smoothed down the sleeping boy's flyaway hair. Hector laughed lightly.

"Yeah, he found clothes I didn't even know I had," he said as he handed Torn the little backpack stuffed with Mik's things, "And if you find a few hideous ties in there, you'll know where he got them from."

Torn actually smiled, slinging the bag over his shoulder. He shook Hector's hand.

"Thanks, buddy."

"No problem. I love the little guy."

Hector smirked and gently tousled Mik's hair. He gave Tess a one-armed hug and they headed back to the zoomer for the short ride home. Torn pushed open the front door and Tess followed him inside, one hand on the back of Mik's head. The former kicked off his dress shoes happily, unknotting his tie and throwing it on the couch. He plopped Mik's backpack on top of it, shrugging off his jacket.

"Thank. God. I've never been so happy to be home."

Tess shook her head. "Can you put him to bed for me? These heels are really starting to kill my feet," she whispered.

Torn nodded, carefully taking Mik from her grasp. The boy frowned in his sleep and sighed, slinging his arms over his brother's shoulders. Leaving Tess to take off her shoes, Torn walked through the swinging kitchen door and walked quietly across the tiles to the stairs. He climbed them cautiously, careful not to wake his brother. Quietly, he pushed open the door to Mik's room, avoiding the mess that awaited him inside. He pulled back the covers on the bed and placed the eight-year-old down delicately, reaching to pull his shoes off. Mik stirred after his shoes went missing, rolling on to his side. The numbers on the KG band around his wrist glowed a dull yellow in the darkness.

"…Torn?" Mik said, groggily.

He sighed, disappointed his brother had woken up. Moving to sit on the bed in front of him, he replied,

"What is it, Tomato Boy?"

Even in his half-dream state, Mik recognized his brother was making fun of him. He swung out with a lazy punch that just grazed Torn's arm.

"Are we back home?" Mik muttered, his eyes still closed.

"Yeah…just back from the party," Torn leaned forward, lifting the bangs from the boy's forehead, "Get some sleep, alright? It's late."

"Okay…" he yawned.

Torn brought the covers up over his brother and Mik rolled over on to his back. He sighed, grabbing for a stuffed animal.

"G'night, Torn."

"Night, kiddo."

He left the bed, walking carefully through the 'minefield' of toys that littered the floor. Before he could close the door, Mik spoke once again.

"Tell Tessie I hope she had fun, too. She said she'd give me a present later."

Torn froze. "What?"

But Mik had already fallen back asleep. Torn shut the door and narrowed his eyes as Tess came up the stairs off to his right, shaking her hair from side to side. She noticed him and smiled.

"What is it?"

"_Mik _knew about it?!" he hissed, "And to keep him quiet, you bribed him with toys?!"

Tess smothered a giggle in Errol's jacket. Torn was advancing on her, and she squealed, sprinting back down the stairs. He followed at her heels, sliding down the banister.

"You are so dead!" he laughed.

Tess tried not to scream, knowing the inevitable rough housing was coming. She giggled and ran through the kitchen, letting the door swing to give her some time. She could hear the footsteps following her and ran for safety behind the couch up ahead. But Torn was right behind her, of course.

And the house was soon filled with laughter.

**Author's Note: Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed this little story- I know I loved writing it. :D And can anyone guess where the title comes from?? (as well as four chapter titles) Youd desrve a gold star if you get it right, ha ha! Thanks for reading- until next time!! ~Captain Hilts.**


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